Led by Astrid Veronig, Head of the Kanzelhöhe Observatory for Solar and Environmental Research at the University of Graz, and Manuela Stadlober-Temmer, a team of 15 scientists in total – including numerous PhD students – was on hand to answer the visitors’ many questions. With the aid of telescopes and protective glasses, hundreds of people were able to catch a glimpse of the Sun as it was obscured by the Moon. Although the event lasted just under half an hour – the Sun disappeared behind the Plabutsch shortly before 8 pm – it was met with enthusiastic applause at the end.
The next opportunity to experience a partial solar eclipse in Graz will be as early as 2 August 2027. In the late morning, the Moon will once again pass in front of the Sun, obscuring up to 40 per cent of it.